The MEPs' arrival on the island defies China's warnings that their arrival would damage interests with the Asian giant

European delegation lands for first time in Taiwan

photo_camera PHOTO/ Yuan Ejecutivo vía AP - Taiwan's Prime Minister Su Tseng-chang, centre, poses for photos with European Union parliamentarians in Taipei, Taiwan, Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021.

Disagreements between Taiwan and China continue in the midst of a diplomatic standoff. Beijing's demands for the integration of the island as part of its territory are being met at a time characterised by Xi Jinping's aggressive policies. His foreign policy defends the reunification of Taiwan, considered a "rebellious province" by China, and continues to stand firm in its fundamentalist stance since, according to the president, "those who forget their heritage, betray the motherland and seek to divide the country will not have a good ending, and will be despised by the people and condemned by history".

Taiwan, on the other hand, defends the island's independence and considers itself a sovereign state. Following this direct confrontation with China, the country has intensified its campaign to isolate the island on the international stage. China has not entirely succeeded in doing so, as Taiwan has seen a considerable improvement in its international visibility, especially with the European Union. 

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On 20 October, the European Parliament adopted a report in which an overwhelming majority of MEPs favoured closer relations with Taipei, thus disavowing the Taiwanese policy enacted by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who advocates the mainland's complete reunification with Taiwan.

Following the signing of the report, the seven-member delegation has already landed in Taiwan in order to further strengthen ties with the island, ignoring warnings from China. In fact, the mission approved in Brussels has been criticised by Beijing, which warned that it would "damage China's interests and undermine the healthy development of Sino-EU relations". 

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The delegation, led by Frenchman Raphael Glucksmann, is expected to meet with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-Wen and other senior officials, according to the Taiwanese foreign ministry.

Glucksmann himself has previously been sanctioned by China and has been repeatedly criticised by the Asian giant. In this turbulent situation, he wrote on Twitter that "neither threats nor sanctions impress me. Never. I will always continue to stand by those who fight for democracy and human rights. And here it is: I am going to Taiwan"

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This delegation has become the first "official" representation of the European Parliament to visit the island. According to the statement, the Taiwanese hope for "fruitful discussions on the defence of democracy, freedom, the rule of law and respect for human rights with our European partners with similar values".

This policy comes at an unsettling time, with more than 150 Chinese aircraft incursions into Taiwan in just one week. Taipei called this interference an "abuse", while the United States called it a "provocation". This is not the first time that Taiwan has called on China to abandon its "coercive" policies, which the country considers to be the basis of the problems between the two states. 

However, far from defusing the situation, China has staged new military manoeuvres with fire "against unidentified high-speed targets" in the East China Sea, according to state broadcaster CCTV. 

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In view of this situation, the United States has already announced its military presence in Taiwan, a stay that would be justified "to train Taiwanese troops", something that China claims is "a provocation" and a threat that threatens "peace". These statements were carried over to the G20 meeting in Rome, where Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Taiwan "is the most sensitive issue" between the two superpowers.

In the face of constant threats from China, Taiwan has indicated that training of military forces would be strengthened to improve its capacity for real combat. Thus the historic rivalries between the two countries continue to be forged in a climate of heightened tension following the 2016 election of President Tsai, who fervently defends Taiwan as a de facto sovereign state.
 

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